Brittney Griner

Born in Houston in 1990, Brittney Griner stands at an impressive 6 ft 8 in tall, making it easy to see why she chose basketball as a career. In high school, she lettered in basketball—and played varsity volleyball—leading her to a 2009 All-American game.

She continued her basketball success at Baylor University, and then she was the first-pick overall in the WNBA draft by the Phoenix Mercury in 2013. She currently brings in $113,500 a year from the Mercury. In March of 2022, Griner made headlines after being detained in Russia after allegedly being caught with vape cartridges while passing through the airport in Moscow. With the war between Russia and Ukraine escalating, it’s unclear when Griner may be released. Griner’s ex-wife Glory Johnson has said about the detaining that there are “No words to express this pain.”